Senate poll: PU degree holders back default registration

Panjab University degree holders have demanded the maximum inclusion of old students in the varsity’s governance, which according to them can be possible by enrolling them by default.

In case automatic registration of graduates and postgraduates is not feasible at present, the authorities should facilitate registration by organising camps at block or town level or through digital modes, they said.

The facility would, they added, check political interference and help graduated out degree holders get their voice heard through members elected via a more democratic process of election, schedule for which is yet to be announced by the government.

Reiterating their dissent on recent attempts by the Union Government to dissolve the senate and syndicate in an allegedly arbitrary and unconstitutional manner Navdeep Sharma of Subhash Nagar area regretted that he, along with his fellow graduates could not be registered due to lack of awareness about the procedure of enrolment.

Reena Devi and Sahil Tayal of Gandhi Chowk locality alleged that, over the past few decades, only a fraction of degree holders were registered due to institutional apathy.

“It is on record that only a fraction of graduates and postgraduates, that too only government employees, were eligible to cast their votes during elections taking place every five year,” Sahil said, arguing that a little attention by the university authorities can facilitate registration of almost all graduates through a digital portal or manually.

Former PU Senator Naresh Gaur acknowledged that candidates aspiring to contest the election had been trying to help the interested degree holders with registration.

“Even now, as the schedule for the proposed election is announced, the university authorities will invite degree holders to get registered,” Gaur said.

Following recent development on the issue, leaders of various organisations had protested against the Centre’s move to dissolve statutory bodies.